Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Firestorm Kickstarter Campaign Surpassing Initial Goals!

The initial launch of the new Gerry Anderson project, Firestorm on the crowd-funding platform Kickstarter has already exceeded its minimum target of raising £49,000 in less than 96 hours and is now focusing on reaching its ‘stretch goal’ of £135,000 over the next 27 days left to make a 22 minute pilot episode.Fans of iconic Gerry Anderson shows like Space: 1999, Stingray, Captain Scarlet, UFO and Thunderbirds can now back the project to help fund the pilot episode in return for special limited edition rewards from props and collector edition DVDs, to set visits and film credits.Firestorm is a Gerry Anderson concept that was originally produced and released by a Japanese company as an anime series across Japan and South East Asia in 2003. This new version of the Gerry Anderson concept has been redeveloped from Gerry’s original synopsis and story outline documents.The funding already raised from the Kickstarter campaign now ensures that a mini pilot episode will be made with a new filming technique called ‘Ultramarionation’, the next stage in evolution from the famous ‘Supermarionation’ technique of Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet, using a combination of puppetry, practical effects, physical props and sets, and model miniatures.Jamie Anderson, Managing Director of Anderson Entertainment and son of Gerry Anderson, MBE, says, “Raising the money we needed to get this project off the launchpad in less than 96 hours proves the support from hundreds of fans from all over the world for film-making methods using practical effects, miniatures and puppets. The talented team already assembled, including many from AP Films and Century 21 responsible for producing shows like Stingray, Captain Scarlet, Space: 1999 and Thunderbirds will now be joined by Hollywood prop maker Ken Palkow (Star Trek Into Darkness, Mission Impossible, Oblivion, X-Men: Days of Future Past) and Shane Rimmer and Matt Zimmerman, the voices of Scott and Alan Tracy in Thunderbirds.”The campaign has now exceeded the minimum of £49,000 to produce a 5-8 minute minisode introducing some of the characters and storyline elements of the series. The next ‘stretch goals’ will allow for further development of characters and storyline, introducing further scenes and explosions up to a 22 minute pilot episode if £135,000 is raised and a full 45 minute feature episode if £342,000 is raised.As Mr Anderson sums it up, “The worldwide support for Firestorm from Gerry Anderson fans has been fantastic, and we’re now hoping to raise enough money for a full-length feature episode. With a fair wind and a bit more luck, Firestorm will be on your TV screen in the very near future!”For further information, see www.GerryAnderson.co.uk/Firestorm

There's just so much going on in the worlds of Gerry Anderson again these days. His son Jamie has done a grand job in relighting the flame along with others too. Gemini Force 1, Firestorm, New Thunderbirds and a brand new TV21. All kicked off in the same year! I'm sure Gerry would be thrilled if he was still with us.